1. Field of the Present Invention
The Present Invention is directed generally to descenting systems and methods. More particularly, the Present Invention is directed to systems and methods for reducing or eliminating the various odors of contraband through the use of ozone-based descenting products. Additionally, the Present Invention is directed to systems and methods for the training and detection, by service animals, of the use of such systems and methods for reducing or eliminating the various odors of contraband through the use of ozone-based descenting products.
2. Description of the Related Art
There is currently known a variety of descenting systems and methods, examples of which may be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,309,388; 4,867,052; 4,941,270; 5,087,426; 5,433,919; 5,468,454; 5,484,472; 5,514,345; 5,539,930; 5,547,476; 5,667,564; 5,681,355; 5,762,648; 5,766,560; 5,789,368; 5,790,987; 5,911,957; 5,931,014; 6,007,770; 6,009,559; 6,134,806; 6,134,718; 6,149,038; 6,156,268; 6,163,098; 6,284,204; 6,312,507; 6,355,216; 6,379,435; 6,503,547; 6,564,591; 6,565,805; and 6,576,190, and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/941,510 (which has been published as U.S. Publication No. 2003/004308), and the references cited therein. The disclosures of each of these citations are incorporated herein in their entireties.
The aforementioned citations relate generally to descenting systems and methods. In addition to this aspect, detection of the use of a descenting system and method is also important. For example, service animals, such as narcotic-sniffing canines, have been employed to discern whether individuals are importing contraband into a geographic location. Typically, this determination is done by taking advantage of the inherent acuteness of the canine olfactory sense. The importation of such contraband is, obviously, illegal. Nevertheless, in an effort to profit on the “black market,” importers (or, more appropriately, smugglers) have taken many steps in an attempt to circumvent the canine olfactory sense. One option has been to mask, or cover up, the odor of the contraband with substances such as coffee grounds. Alternatively, descenting systems and methods, such as that described herein, may be employed. For example, descenting systems may be placed within the presence of the contraband in an effort to reduce or eliminate the odor emanating from such contraband enough to reduce or eliminate the success rate of service animals.
It has further been discovered that gaseous ozone effectively kills bacteria and substantially reduces or eliminates odors. The advantages of ozone over other known masking and descenting methods are numerous, and take advantage of the facts that ozone is a gas that (1) can eliminate odors emanating from an object; (2) can eliminate odors in a space; (3) is completely natural to the environment; and (4) leaves behind a very pleasant clean smell. Known ozone generators include electrical discharge and ultraviolet light. Further, known ozone generators may be operated with either AC or DC current sources.
Additionally, ozone is well known to treat odorous air, microorganisms, bacteria, mold, smoke, aromatic hydrocarbons and various organic compounds. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,961,878; 2,203,188; 3,421,836; 3,750,556; 3,937,967; 3,949,056; 4,045,316; 4,863,687; 4,904,289; 4,990,311; 5,087,426; 5,835,840; 5,983,834; 6,094,549; 6,613,277; and 6,632,407, U.S. patent application Ser. Nos. 09/445,012 (which has been published as U.S. Publication No. 2002/0030022) and 10/983,215 (which has been published as U.S. Publication No. 2006/0096331), and foreign references EP 0261987; WO 200151096; WO 2003089017; WO 2005021135; and WO 2005077425, and the references cited therein, each of which teaches the use of ozone to descent various items. The disclosures of each of these citations are incorporated herein in their entireties.
Generally, the items to be descented are placed in a container, a portable enclosure or a special descenting closet or room, at which time the descenting system operates to descent the particular items. However, as soon as the particular items leave the container, enclosure, closet or room, the odor resumes emanation from the items. Thus, any prior descenting, using the disclosed methods, is of little value.
Ozone has been used for, inter alia, decontaminating buildings and for decolorizing denim garments. U.S. Pat. No. 5,833,740 (the disclosure of which is incorporated herein in its entirety) discloses an apparatus for sterilizing bottles utilizing ozone. This citation recognizes that ozone in large quantities can be harmful or irritating.
Ozone is also a powerful oxidizing agent. Ozone has 150% of the oxidizing potential of chlorine and twice the oxidizing potential of bromine. Ozone has been shown to be much more effective than chlorine with a reaction time up to 10 times faster. Ozone also readily self-destructs into simple diatomic oxygen due to its inherent instability. Ozone oxidizes biological products and kills bacteria.
Catalytic ionization of air using ultraviolet light is known to produce a mixture of ozone-containing hydroxyl and hydroperoxide ions. Ionization devices which are used to eliminate smoke and odors are known in the art to produce hydroxyl and hydroperoxide ions, e.g., those used in automobiles.
Thus, the need exists to develop an effective descenting system which overcomes the disadvantages set forth herein. Additionally, the need exists to develop a training mechanism for service animals and their handlers to detect the use of such descenting systems.